The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-29
DOES Mr.. Lamar lack in experienced He

DOES Mr.. Lamar lack in experienceP He
is in the sixty second year of his age, was adj
mitted to the bar forty years ago, has been in
public career thirtv-four years-legislator,
army officer. diplomatic, Cabinet Minister
Had any of the gentlemen who would be his
colleagues, except, perhaps, Gray and Blatch-
ford, better record when nominated than
that of Lamar? Even Gray and Blatchford,
except in continuous judicial experience
not as well equipped as Mr.. Lamar for dealing
with the large constitutional questions which
come before the Supreme Court. Their very
experience as judges of the lower tribunals
deprived them of that larger experience in
which Mr.. Lamar would have superior
the bench, possible rival except Judge
Matthews.
Judges Blatchford and Gray had had
long service in high courts-the former IN the
federal, the latter in the State Judiciary. But
it might well be a question whether their
training would be better for the Supreme
Bench than the varied education of man
like Lamar.
The rejection of Mr.. Lamar upon the
record, so far as we see it, would be a serious
blow to the harmony of the Union. 1t would
be as much an attack on the Union by North
ern fanatics the firing on Sumter an at
tack upon the Union by Southern fanatics.
New York Herald.
Mr.. Lamar practiced law but q few years.
He has not been continuous student of the
law or a practiser of it, and this is the first
time we have ever heard it urged that service
lawyer or judge was disqualification for
the Supreme Court We think it will strike
the country peculiarly that the Service of
Justice Gray in the Massachusetts, Supreme
Court and of Justice Blatchford in the federal
court of New York, did not fit them for their
present duties as well as Mr.. Lamar's service
as a confederate diplomatic to Russia or as pro-
fessor Of mathematics in local seminary.
To compare his record with the records of
such men Waite, Miller, Harlan, Bradley,
Field and Matthews in demonstrating his
superior fitness to be Supreme judge must
be intended joke; it certainly cannot be
taken seriously. There are many offices that
Mr.. Lamar could fill creditably, and to his
filing which there would be objection.
The Senate confirmed him to be Secretary of
the Interior, for instance, without objection,
and there was no outcry against the appoint
ment from the public, except mild question
of his special capacity for that particular
place. The fact of his appointment and con-
frmation to the Interior Department without
serious dissent ought to be sufficient to do
away with the charge that the present opposi-
ton is factious and fanatical. The opposition
to the nomination grows out of the belief that
he is utterly untitled for the high and i'm
portant position of member of the Supreme
Court, whose function it is to construe the
Constitution, and because it is believed the
appointment is made to placate that extreme
Southern Democratic wing which has not
changed its ante bellum beliefs upon the Con-
and which regards Mr.. Lamar as its
peculiar and cherished representative. This
is wha. has stirred up the people.